Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES

Dozens of awards were handed out in a variety of categories such as academics, attendance, participation and kindness during the 2023-24 first quarter Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Pathways Academy Awards Ceremony.

The quarterly Pathways Academy Awards were started in 2017 and are part of the school’s Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program. Students’ families are invited in to attend the awards.

“This first award ceremony for the year is always exciting for everyone,” said Pathways Academy teacher Erica Haver, who is a team leader for the PBIS program at Pathways. “Returning students strive to earn their awards and are excited when the time comes. The new students are excited as this may be the first award or awards that they have received in several years. We have great parental attendance, and each year it increases at each awards ceremony. Each ceremony encourages all students to keep doing their best to earn awards in the future.”

The Pathways Academy Awards Ceremony took place on Friday, Dec. 1, at the Herkimer BOCES Remington Educational Complex in Ilion.  The Herkimer BOCES Pathways Academy focuses on students who have had a difficult time in a traditional school structure or have to catch up on credits but have the ability to get a high school diploma. Pathways Academy classes are project-driven and infuse career and technical education.

The PBIS program includes various aspects including the awards and students earning “BOCES Bucks” for positive behavior that they can use on reward days to purchase items or experiences.

Herkimer BOCES Principal of Alternative Education Cory Pike welcomed students and family members in attendance to the ceremony. Teachers went up to the front of the room to help greet and congratulate students as they received their awards.

Award winners

The following are the Pathways Academy award winners for the first quarter of the 2023-24 school year listed with the awards they won and their home school district in parentheses:

Seventh grade:

• Vincent Brown (Central Valley): Rising Star Award, Nurse Civility, Award for Increased STAR Testing, Attendance
• Patrick Denicola (Central Valley): PE All Star, Math Participation Award, Rising Star Award, Award for Increased STAR Testing, Heir to the Empire in ELA award, Merit Roll
• Tanner Heidrich (Frankfort-Schuyler): The New Hope in ELA Award, Spanish Talent Award
• Kristiana Johnson (Central Valley): Math Participation Award, Making Good Progress, Speaking Award
• Hailey Payne (Little Falls): PE Participation, Rising Star Award, Award for Increased STAR Testing, Map Master Award
• Lucas Shorter (Frankfort-Schuyler): Peak Performance, PBIS Award, Golden Sneaker, Math Participation Award, Award for Increased STAR Testing
• Connor Brown (Central Valley): Golden Sneaker, Award for Increased STAR Testing
• Kaidence Crim-Burdick (Richfield Springs): PE Participation, Peak Performance, Attendance Award
• Zachary Lowery (Herkimer): PE Participation, Peak Performance, Award for Increased STAR Testing, Math Participation Award, The Untapped Potential Award, Attendance, Honor Roll
• Leo McBee (Central Valley): Peak Performance, Golden Sneaker, Math Participation Award, Attendance, Honor Roll
• Wade Price (Central Valley): Peak Performance, Class Artist, Award for Increased STAR Testing, The Sky's the Limit Award, Math Participation Award, Merit Roll
• Ohiyesa Shenandoah (Herkimer): Peak Performance, Award for Increased STAR Testing, The UnSung Hero Award, Attendance
• Kairi Weed (Central Valley): Peak Performance

Eighth grade:

• Coner Bluett (Central Valley): Class Helper Award, Accidental Scholar in Science
• Noah Hand (Central Valley): Helpful Classmate, Golden Sneaker, Outbound Flight in ELA Award, Perfect Attendance
• Jordan Hight (Central Valley): Most Improved in Classwork, Influencer in Science, Attendance
• Dylan Morgan (Little Falls): Hardworker, PE All Star, Social Studies Outstanding Worker Award, Math Participation Award, Spanish Talent Award, FACS Award, Honor Roll
• Sierra Patrei (Central Valley): Most Improved Overall, Out of the Shadows in ELA Award
• Krislyn Rivera (Little Falls): Social Studies Best helper Award
• Rayanna Gonzales (Central Valley): Rising Star Award, Participation Award
• Alicia Lopez (Herkimer): Making Good Progress, Effort Award, Merit Roll
• Kaylee Stanley (Little Falls): Rising Star Award, FACS Lab Award, Most Improved Social Studies Award, Effort Award
• Jisela Velazquez (Central Valley): FACS Lab Award, Peak Performance Award, PE Participation, Social Studies Outstanding Worker Award, Math, Effort Award
• Brandyn Clark (Herkimer): Golden Sneaker, Rising Star Award
• Max Kurganov (Frankfort-Schuyler): PE All Star, Diligence Award, Peak Performance, Excellence in Math Award, Map Master Award, PBIS Most Improved Attitude in ELA,  Approaching Storm in ELA Award , Honor Roll
• Mason McNeil (Central Valley): PE Participation, Making Good Progress, Speaking Award, Math Participation Award, Rogue Leader in ELA award, Honor Roll
• Xavier Misiaseck (Central Valley): Rising Star Award, Award for Increased STAR Testing
• Anthony Raiano (Mount Markham): Rising Star Award

Ninth grade:

• Caleb Smith (Richfield Springs): PE Participation, Most Improved-Chaos Rising in ELA Award, Story Teller, Map Master Award, The Diamond in the Rough Award, Merit Roll
• Julian Bruce (Little Falls): Golden Sneaker, Rising Star Award, Patience Award, Math Participation Award, Rule of Two in ELA Award
• Velton Walters-Galusha (Central Valley): PE Participation, Peak Performance, Kinder Bueno Award Math, Map Master Award, Participation Award, Rule of Two in ELA Award, Honor Roll
• Brayden Borggreen (Frankfort-Schuyler): Rising Star Award
• Joseph Downing (Central Valley): Helper Award, Peak Performance
• Kiera Harrington (Little Falls): Compassion Award
• Mia Lugo (Central Valley): Golden Sneaker, Making Good Progress
• Josh Miller (Central Valley): The Glass is Half Full Award
• Connor Moffatt (Frankfort-Schuyler): PE Participation, Knight Errant in ELA Award
• Jordan Wilson (Little Falls): Making Good Progress, Merit Roll
• Grace Wheatley (Frankfort-Schuyler): Making Good Progress, Math Participation Award, PBIS Award

10^th grade:

• Ashante Everson (Herkimer): Nurse Civility, Service Industry Lab Award
• Wesley Houck (West Canada Valley): UNO Reverse in Science
• Garrett Klein (Central Valley): Golden Sneaker
• Kaden Looman (Frankfort-Schuyler): PE Participation, ELA Academic Award, Focused Resolve in Science, Attendance 
• Isabelle Peeters (Owen D. Young): Service Award, Attendance Award
• Garrett Cristallo (West Canada Valley): Go with the Flow in Science
• Isabella Crisell (Little Falls): Dreamer in Science
• Robert Linen (Herkimer): PE All Star, Conversationalist Award, High Energy Enthusiasm in Science, Honor Roll, Attendance, ELA Excellence: High Honors Award (90+)
• Michael Grecco (Central Valley): Overall Great Academic Work and Effort, Behaviors Outstanding, Respect, Courteous, Team Player, Very Kind and Compassionate, Perfect Attendance,  PE All Star, Award for Increased STAR Testing, ELA Excellence: High Honors Award (90+), Noted Resolve in Science
• Peter Hawes (Mount Markham): Great Academic and Behavior Effort, Excels with Peer Relationships, Kind and Respectful, Kindness Award PE Participation, ELA Excellence: High Honors Award (90+)
• Joseph Johnson (Central Valley): Improved Attendance and Effort Put into School Work with Catching Up, Respectful to Others Especially to the Staff
• Landen Morrone (Herkimer): Self-Awareness, Great Effort Put into His Academic Work, Kind and Courteous to Both His Peers and Teachers, Nurse Civility, Award for Increased STAR Testing
• Christian Lopez-Pagan (Little Falls): Kindness Award, Award for Increased STAR Testing, ELA Excellence: High Honors Award (90+), Attendance

11^th grade:

• Adrianna Burris (Herkimer): Award for Increased STAR Testing, Honor Roll, ELA Excellence: High Honors Award (90+), Global 1A Credit Recovery
• Nathan Elthorp (Poland): Award for Increased STAR Testing, ELA Excellence: High Honors Award (90+)
• Brayden Hubbard (Poland): Most Improved Attitude in ELA
• Logan Matis (Frankfort-Schuyler): Respectfulness Award, Attendance, Earth Science A Credit Recovery
• Kaleb Milisci (Frankfort-Schuyler): Living Environment A & English 10 A Credit Recovery, PE Participation
• Dominick Salvagni (West Canada Valley): Spanish & PE Credit Recovery
• Gianna Seelman (Frankfort-Schuyler): Award for Increased STAR Testing, ELA Excellence: High Honors Award (90+), Attendance Award, Leadership Award, Merit Roll
• Christopher Winters (Herkimer): ELA Academic Award, Global 1 A Credit Recovery
• Logan Woods (Frankfort-Schuyler): Living Environment A Credit Recovery, Award for Increased STAR Testing, ELA Excellence: High Honors Award (90+), Honor Roll, Attendance, Golden Sneaker
• Doug Bruce (Herkimer): Most Helpful to Staff, Patron of Science, Award for Increased STAR Testing
• Adam Rogers (Richfield Springs): PE All Star, Award for Increased STAR Testing
• Kendra Sheffler (Herkimer): Nurse Civility
• Frank Tomei (Little Falls): Most Humorous, Global 2 A Credit Recovery, ELA Academic Award,
• Matt Witte (Frankfort-Schuyler): PE Participation

12^th grade:

• Logan Hart (Poland): ELA Academic Award, Outstanding Worker Government Award, ELA Academic Award
• Ayden Kappas (Herkimer): Nurse Civility
• Kearah Davis (Frankfort-Schuyler): Helpful to Peers and Staff, Service Industry Award Shows Initiative, Most Improved
• Nicole Emerson (West Canada Valley): Helpful to Peers and Staff, Shows Initiative, Most Improved, Kind and Respectful to Others
• Aiden Johnston (Frankfort-Schuyler): Helpful to Peers and Staff, Shows Initiative, Kind and Respectful to Others, Leader Among Peers, Student Council President, Mentor to Younger Students, Best Storyteller, Crash Course in Science, Attendance,  Merit Roll
• Lorenzo Kemp (Frankfort-Schuyler): Helpful to Peers and Staff, Leader Among Peers, Shows Initiative
• David Krick (Frankfort-Schuyler): Helpful to Peers and Staff, Shows Initiative, Hard Worker, Kind and Respectful to Others, Makes the Best Faces at Classmates, Nurse Civility, Perfect Attendance
• Hadyn Miller (Poland): Helpful to Peers and Staff, Hard Worker, Kind and Respectful to Others, Shows Initiative, Merit Roll
• Aidan Rios (Herkimer): Helpful and Kind to Peers
• Arnel Sinanovic (Poland): Helpful and Kind to Peers, Respectful
• Lawson Staring (West Canada Valley): Helpful to Peers and Staff, Shows Initiative, Kind and Respectful to Others, Leader Among Peers

Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Pathways Academy teacher Issac Hafelin gives awards to Pathways Academy student Gianna Seelman (Frankfort-Schuyler) during the 2023-24 first quarter Pathways Academy Awards Ceremony on Friday, Dec. 1.

Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Pathways Academy teacher Issac Hafelin gives awards to Pathways Academy student Joseph Johnson (Central Valley) during the 2023-24 first quarter Pathways Academy Awards Ceremony on Friday, Dec. 1.

Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Pathways Academy teacher Craig Farley gives awards to Pathways Academy student Dylan Morgan (Little Falls) during the 2023-24 first quarter Pathways Academy Awards Ceremony on Friday, Dec. 1.

Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Pathways Academy teacher Craig Farley gives awards to Pathways Academy student Grace Wheatley (Frankfort-Schuyler) during the 2023-24 first quarter Pathways Academy Awards Ceremony on Friday, Dec. 1.

Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Pathways Academy teacher Craig Farley gives awards to Pathways Academy student Sierra Patrei (Central Valley) during the 2023-24 first quarter Pathways Academy Awards Ceremony on Friday, Dec. 1.

Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Principal of Alternative Education Cory Pike speaks to students and family members in attendance during the 2023-24 first quarter Pathways Academy Awards Ceremony on Friday, Dec. 1.

Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Pathways Academy teacher Issac Hafelin gives awards to Pathways Academy student Aiden Johnston (Frankfort-Schuyler) during the 2023-24 first quarter Pathways Academy Awards Ceremony on Friday, Dec. 1.

Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Pathways Academy teacher Issac Hafelin gives awards to Pathways Academy student Kearah Davis (Frankfort-Schuyler) during the 2023-24 first quarter Pathways Academy Awards Ceremony on Friday, Dec. 1.

Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Pathways Academy teacher Issac Hafelin gives awards to Pathways Academy student Frank Tomei (Little Falls) during the 2023-24 first quarter Pathways Academy Awards Ceremony on Friday, Dec. 1.

Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Pathways Academy teacher Craig Farley gives awards to Pathways Academy student Xavier Misiaszek (Central Valley) during the 2023-24 first quarter Pathways Academy Awards Ceremony on Friday, Dec. 1.

Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Pathways Academy teacher Issac Hafelin gives awards to Pathways Academy student Robert Linen (Herkimer) during the 2023-24 first quarter Pathways Academy Awards Ceremony on Friday, Dec. 1.